Conor back on the box
Conor Cummins returned to the Superbike TT podium for the first time since 2014 when he was runner-up to Michael Dunlop on the Padgett’s Honda. The Batley-based squad had worked through Friday night to build the 32-year-old a new engine for his 2018-spec Fireblade ahead of Saturday’s race.
“The pace has been red hot this year but I’m settling into the new Fireblade well,” the Manxman said.
The Ramsey rider established himself in third place on lap one, steadily building a 21-second gap between himself and James Hillier on the Quattro Plant/JG Speedfit Kawasaki ZX-10RR before Harrison’s retirement elevated both up the final order.
“We did a couple of BSBs and it has sharpened me up a little bit.” Cummins explained.
His fastest lap of 132.589mph was just four seconds over 17 minutes.
“I feel the sub-17 lap is coming to me. My pace is improving every time I get on the bike.”
After finishing third, Kawasaki man Hillier said: “I don’t remember much of the race because I was focussing so hard. Dean has definitely upped the ante but we have something to work on now for the rest of the week.”
It was an impressive performance, too, by David Johnson who secured fourth with a lap just shy of 131mph on his Gulf BMW. He said: “We’re going to make some suspension changes for Friday and try to go a little better.” Michael Rutter made it three BMWs in the first five on his Bathams S1000RR in spite of being forced to run a near standard engine because of problems with his superbike motor. Rutter’s best lap of 129.762mph was only the ninth quickest of the race.
“I only really got going on the last lap because I lost a bit of interest in the race when I knew I didn’t really have a chance,” the 46-year-old said.